Council will also ask for a report within a few months of the event, to outline the economic benefits for the community, an amendment added by Ward 9 Coun. Hilary Payne.

The debate turned from the funds for the event to a larger argument over councillors’ support of sports tourism after Kusmierczyk said he would not support the motion, saying it’s an issue of accountability and return on investment.

Windsor has contributed about $270,000 to the Grand Prix since about 2008, according to the city treasurer.

“We are completely in the dark in terms of economic return on investment of $270,000,” Kusmierczyk said, adding at the same time council has chosen not to support events such as the Windsor International Film Festival, which had asked the city to waive a city surcharge, despite its measurable economic benefits in the community.

Kusmierczyk had asked administration to speak to the economic benefits of funding the Grand Prix: how many hotel rooms in Windsor were filled, how many news stories were generated?

The city administration couldn’t provide the answers, saying that data is not collected at this time. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said that information could have been gathered before the meeting had a councillor chosen to contact the mayor’s office or tourism about it.

“I believe we derive more benefit at the end of the day than we actually pay,” Dilkens said.

Dilkens said there’s a clear group on council that doesn’t support sports tourism, sparking frustration from Ward 8 Coun. Bill Marra. Marra said it felt that the mayor’s statement meant a vote against the funds for the Grand Prix would be taken as a vote against tourism.

Ward 1 Coun. Fred Francis said he felt compelled to speak up to clarify that choosing to support the Grand Prix does not mean councillors don’t support other initiatives, such as the film festival. He said it is not mutually exclusive.

]]>http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/council-narrowly-approves-grand-prix-funds-after-heated-debate/feed0Councillor Rino Bortolin speaks on the issue of funding the 2016 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix at Windsor City Hall on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016.carolynethompsonCouncillor Irek Kusmierczyk speaks on the issue of funding the 2016 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix while at Windsor City Hall on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016. Councillor Fred Francis speaks on the issue of funding the 2016 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix while at Windsor City Hall on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016.Tax hike needed for roads, says report to councilhttp://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/tax-hike-needed-for-roads-says-report-to-council
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/tax-hike-needed-for-roads-says-report-to-council#respondSun, 22 Nov 2015 23:48:18 +0000http://windsorstar.com/?p=640492]]>Would you pay about $14 more in taxes and see that levy rise each year if it went to improving Windsor roads?

A report going to city council Monday suggests considering an incremental property tax levy of a half a per cent a year from 2017 to 2035. The half a per cent would be about $2 million in extra funding for roadwork in a city the report says has 20 per cent of its roads in poor or very poor shape. Those are roads that are past fixing and would have to be fully rebuilt.

Ward 9 Coun. Hilary Payne, who has been calling for a road levy, said residents told him while he was campaigning last year that they wouldn’t object to paying a bit more in taxes to improve roads.

“I’m very much concerned about the condition of some roads in the city,” Payne said. “I’ve got some roads that are in really, really bad shape and there never seems to be enough money to do them.”

The report says the impact of a half a per cent would be about $14 for a resident with a house assessed at $150,000. The half a per cent would mean $2 million the first year and then rise to $4 million, $6 million, $8 million and so on, Payne explained.

The city has averaged about $26.5 million a year in roadwork in the last seven years even though the overall tax levy did not increase.

An asset management plan from 2013 said about $365 million was needed to replace about 20 per cent of Windsor’s streets or about 196 kilometres of roads. That money wouldn’t solve the problem though because it would create traffic issues and increase costs to do all the work at once. The report recommends the long-term plan with a priority for E.C. Row and main roads.

No increase in funding would mean the amount of poor or very poor roads increasing to more than 30 per cent, the report said. Payne, a former roads engineer, said it costs five times more to reconstruct a road than to repair it, so the funding can’t wait.

A special levy of some sort is likely coming to your tax bill.

Mayor Drew Dilkens said in 2016 there will be a request for a commitment by the provincial government from Windsor for money for the new hospital.

Dilkens said a special road levy could be put off for a few years but the city must put more money into roads over the next 20 years. And the roads are just part of the asset management plan to make sure there’s money to replace aging infrastructure. It will mean tough choices during the budget sessions, he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of future requests for more money as all those other pieces roll out as well,” Dilkens said Sunday. “So it’s going to be the responsibility of council to make sure that they can take care of the assets that we own in the city but also balance the needs of the taxpayers, recognizing we still have high unemployment.”

Staff recommends the report be received and referred to the 2016 capital budget deliberations.

]]>http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/tax-hike-needed-for-roads-says-report-to-council/feed0112215-BAD_ROADS_WINDSOR-1123_roads_levy-W.jpgwinstarhillInformation leaked from closed door meetings in Amherstburghttp://windsorstar.com/news/information-leaked-from-closed-door-meetings-in-amherstburg
http://windsorstar.com/news/information-leaked-from-closed-door-meetings-in-amherstburg#respondTue, 22 Sep 2015 00:09:49 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=533312]]>Amherstburg CAO John Miceli is clamping down on an ongoing problem with confidential town council information being leaked or hacked.

Reports or minutes of closed door meetings will no longer be provided to councillors through “technology” or via Dropbox (an online sharing service), following a recent breach that saw private information surrounding personnel issues made public — including the eventual firing of the town’s former fire chief.

Miceli wouldn’t give any specifics but said “the big concern came during the fire (department changeover)” when members of the public knew about, and were bringing up at council meetings, facts that were discussed in closed meetings.

“To me, it’s just mind-boggling how some of this information got out and why it would get out, for what purpose,” Miceli said. “But it became a problem.”

In camera meetings, which are closed to the public and media, are attended by council members, the CAO, clerk, deputy clerk and administrative staff. Personnel issues, solicitor-client privilege and property matters are some areas that can be discussed behind closed doors.

Councillors now receive paper copies of reports that are collected by administration at the end of each meeting.

In Ontario, the ombudsman can investigate whether information is suitable for an in-camera meeting but currently has no power when information is leaked.

Miceli said councillors have agreed to fund an integrity commissioner — a position that will be shared with other county municipalities — to investigate what he called a “code of conduct matter” and make recommendations to council.

“If it’s an employee (who leaked information), definitely there will be a reprimand up to and including termination,” Miceli said. “If it’s a member of council, basically it would be a violation of council’s code of conduct and I’d have to then ask all of council how they want to handle it.”

Chris Gibb, president of the Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce, said chamber members are concerned about how this breach will affect the town’s reputation.

“There’s been all kind of rumours,” Gibb said. “But if it’s councillors or elected officials I think that’s a pretty basic violation of their oath of office, isn’t it?”

Gibb said the bad impression it leaves, especially with someone looking to invest in the town, is unfortunate.

“When investors see this kind of politics at play, I think it makes them think twice about investing in Amherstburg,” said Gibb, adding that he had no evidence linking councillors to any of the reported leaks.

Coun. Rick Fryer said he’s very concerned about the breach of confidentiality.

“I hope that something comes of this because it’s very unfortunate some of the things that came back to us that were word for word,” Fryer said. “So there is an issue.”

But he questioned why the chamber’s president would comment on the issue.

“I think as far as the politics of the Town of Amherstburg, I think the councillors should do the (council) job and the chamber should do their job,” Fryer said. “I think the negativity being spread around needs to stop. People are making too many negative comments rather than trying to find solutions to the problems.”